At this level players are introduced to hitting baseballs with a controlled velocity from a pitching machine.  Players develop their batting, fielding, catching and throwing skills, along with developing baseball position knowledge, strategy and team play awareness.

• For players that are 7, 8 & 9 years old.
• Season starts in May and goes to early/mid September (games are subject to weather and field conditions).
• Playoffs start in August, ending on Championship Day weekend in early/mid September. 
• Games are played on weeknights at Smythe Park.
• Allow 2 hours for a typical game (including pre-game warmup).
• Uniforms (jerseys, pants, socks, & caps) will be handed out at the start of the season once team rosters have been set.  
• Players will need to supply their own baseball gloves.
• Baseball helmets are available for games, but it is recommended that players use their own helmets for health reasons.
• Baseball helmets must have chin straps (exception - helmets with face extenders).
• Wearing athletic cups is highly recommended.  Players who wish to play the Catcher position MUST wear athletic cups.  
• Batting gloves and cleats (non-metal only) are allowed but not required. 
• York Baseball will supply regulation baseballs, bats, bases, Catcher equipment and pitching machine.   
• Don't forget to bring some drinking water.
• Teams are coed.
• York Baseball is run entirely by a dedicated group of volunteers.  Please consider expressing your interest in coaching or assisting a coach.  
• NOTE - Like 9U players, umpires are also learning the game as well.  It is expected that the coaches support our umpires and their calls.  Players are to leave the playing field if they are called out on the bases or strike out.  Heated confrontations with umpires are unnecessary and should be avoided.  Any difficulties with umpires can be brought to the attention of a Convener or the Umpire Coordinator.   

 

9U House League Rules

General

• The rules of baseball apply, with the following exceptions/variations.  Games are traditionally 7 innings long, with any inning after the 5th an open inning.    
• Distance between bases: 65 feet (19.8 metres).
• Distance from pitching machine to home plate: 44 feet (13.4 metres).
• Game length: No new innings after 1 hour 30 minutes.
• For Championship games, no new inning after 1 hour 45 minutes (daylight is not an issue).
• Teams may field a maximum of 10 players.
• Player positions: Catcher, 1st Base, 2nd Base, 3rd Base, Shortstop, Pitcher, Left Fielder, Left Centre Fielder, Right Centre Fielder, Right Fielder.
• The Pitcher stands beside the pitching machine or behind the release point of the pitching machine, but never in front of it or ahead of it. 
• Pitching Coaches are free to adjust the pitching machine throughout the game as needed.
• Any player playing the Catcher position must wear a Catcher's helmet, chest protector and shin guards.  They can use their own baseball glove if they don't want to wear a York Baseball Catcher's glove.
• Catchers MUST wear an athletic cup.
• The Pitcher must stand beside or behind the pitching machine.  The Pitcher must wear a regulation batting helmet with a face mask and chin strap.
• To stop defensive play, any player who has control of the ball and is standing within the understood boundaries of the infield, can ask for time to be called by the umpires.  The umpires will grant time.  Runners judged to be halfway to the next base or more will be awarded the base.  Runners less than halfway will be sent back to their previous base.   
• There will be a maximum of 5 runs scored per inning in the regular season.
• In playoff games the last inning will be declared an 'open inning'.
• Should the umpires declare the open inning and time allows for play to continue beyond that inning, all additional innings will be open.  
• Teams must field a minimum of 7 players.  To avoid forfeit, at least 5 of these players must be from their own team.  They may borrow players from another team within their own age division.
• BORROWING PLAYERS IS NOT PERMITTED IN PLAYOFF AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES.
• No player shall sit on the bench for 2 consecutive innings, unless in case of injury. 
• Teams will bat until there are 3 outs, or they reach the 5 run limit.
• On the last batter, if 3 outs have not been made, the play will not end until the defensive team Catcher has touched home plate in possession of the baseball.
• The last inning of a game will be "open" with no limit on the number of runs scored.
• Time will be granted when a fielder has possession of the ball on the infield and runners have stopped advancing.
• Winning teams will receive 2 points for each win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss.
• In the event that a game becomes unplayable due to the weather, the umpire will make the decision to play, suspend or call off the game.
• In the event of thunder and lightning, York Baseball follows Baseball Ontario guidelines with respect to lightning safety. "When thunder roars, go indoors".  Games will be halted, and cannot continue until 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder.
• The Home team will use the 3rd base dugout, the Visiting team will use the 1st base dugout.    
• The Home Team is responsible for setting up the field and making sure bases and equipment are put away.
• Teams are welcome to chear on their own players.  They are not to address or cheer against opposing players (Ex. no cheers or songs mentioning the opposing pitcher, batter, etc.). 

Batting

• Batters will receive 5 hittable pitches.
• If the batter does not hit a fair ball within 5 pitches, they will be declared out. 
• If the batter does not swing at a pitch that the umpire deems too high or too low, it will not count as a pitch.  Any pitch the batter swings at and misses, regardless of the pitch location will be called a strike.
• If the 5^th pitch is a foul ball and is caught before hitting the ground, the batter will be declared out.  The batter will not be declared out if the 5th and subsequent pitches are called foul and not caught.  The batter may receive an additional pitch until they put the ball in play, or hits another foul.  If they miss the subsequent pitch, they are out.  
• 'Good Pitch' definition: (a) Batter swings and misses, (b) Batter swings resulting in a foul ball, (c) Batter does not swing but umpire determines the pitch was hittable and is therefore counted as a good pitch.
• 'No Pitch' definition: A pitch deemed not in an age-appropriate strike zone or unhittable by the umpire should be called No Pitch. 
• Batters MUST drop the bat and not throw it (intentionally or unintentionall) upon hitting the ball.  Penalty: each team shall be entitled 1 wardning per game.  After the warning, any further offences shall result in the batter being declared out, the ball being dead and runners returning to their bases.
• Bunting is not allowed.  A warning will be issued by the umpire per team, and batters will be called out for any further infractions.
• There are no dropped 3rd strikes.
• There are no Walks.
• There is NO base stealing.  Base runners CANNOT leave the bases before the baseball has been hit by the batter (including foul balls).  Teams will receive 1 warning for leaving a base too early.  Any further infractions will be automatic outs.
• There are no designated hitters.
• If a batter hits the pitching machine, any pitching apparatus within the pitching circle or the Pitching Coach, play is declared dead, the batter is awarded 1st base, and all runners on base advance 1 base if forced.
• If a thrown ball hits the pitching machine, any pitching apparatus within the pitching circle or the Pitching Coach, the ball is dead and bases will be awarded according to the Official Baseball Rules pertaining to overthrows.
• There is no Infield Fly Rule.
• Latecomers are placed at the end of the batting order.  If there is a chronic latecomer, coaches may insert them higher in the batting order to avoid a player always being the last batter. Inform the opposing team coach of this.
• Any player who has to leave a game early is simply skipped in the batting order without penalty. 

Pitching

• A manual pitching machine is used in 9U to pitch to the batters
• Each team will supply their own Pitching Coach (preferably a team coach) to use the pitching machine when it's their turn at bat
• There are no pass balls or wild pitches